Politics of Martinique
Country name: conventional long form: Department of Martinique conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique Data code: MB Dependency status: overseas department of France Government type: NA Capital: Fort-de-France Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France) Independence: none (overseas department of France) National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French legal system Language:'''Although a majority of the inhabitants use their native Creole dialect in conversation, the government of France made French the islands official language. '''Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques Chirac of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Jean-Francois Cordet (since NA) head of government: President of the General Council Claude Lise (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred Marie-Jeanne (since NA March 1998) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1998 (next to be held September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, independent 1 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel Political parties and leaders: Combat Worker BEAUJOUR; Martinique Communist Party or PCM NICOLAS; Martinique Forces LAOUCHEZ; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM MARIE-JEANNE; Martinique Patriots or PM NA; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM DARSIERES; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS WAN-AJOUHU; Movement for a Liberated Martinique PETIT; National Council of Popular Committees SAE; Rally for Democratic Martinique HILAIRE-FORTUNE; Rally for the Republic or RPR CHARLONE; Republican Party or PR BAILLY; Socialist Federation of Martinique or FSM CRUSOL; Union for French Democracy or UDF MAREN; Union for the Renewal of Ste. Marie LORDINOT Political pressure groups and leaders: Association for the Protection of Martinique's Heritage (ecologist) MALSA; Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM PULVAR; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS PIERRE-CHARLES International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France) Flag description: a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions :See also : Martinique Category:Martinique